Bounding bed



: Oct. 17, 1961 e. P. NISSEN 3,004,623

BOUNDING BED Filed June 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v //v VEN TOR GEORGE lV/SJf/V 4 7' TOR/V5115 G. "P. NlSSEN BOUNDING BED Oct. 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1958 T M/ N i Q w 6 r WM 4, H g 6 w m w V r United States Patent 3,004,623 BOUNDING BED George P. Nissen, 711 27th St. NE., Cedar Rapids, Iowa Filed June 9,1958, Ser. No. 740,821 1 Claim. (Cl. 182-139) This invention relates to apparatus for'physical exercise and has particular relation to an apparatus called a bounding bed in which a sheet of canvas. or the like is supported within a horizontally extending framework by means of elastic means such as springs or-shock cord or the like. i i

.In operation the performer mounts the .tightly stretched sheet of canvasand, by a seriesof Vertical jumps as from a spring board, utilizes the resiliency of the bed to propel himself vertically in bounding jumps to heights or bed from collapsing or permitting the operator to so stretch the pad as to allow him to strike the floor beneath the bed.

These bounding beds, at least the larger sizes, should be collapsible so that they may be stowed away and occupy a minimum of space.

-It is therefore among the objects of my invention to provide a frame for a bounding bed of the greatest springing flexibility, but with a minimum of supporting structure.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for causing a bounding bed to be biased to opened and closed positions.

Another object of my invention is to utilize the springs and canvas for biasing the bed to a closed position and retaining it in this position or to the open or operative condition and maintaining the bed in this position.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a bounding bed in which a center support is unnecessary and which may be supported entirely adequately only at the ends, even when the bed is of the largest size commonly used.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an extremely simple framework for a bounding bed.

A still further object of my invention is to utilize the springing effect of a metal framework of the bed for affording even greater springing characteristics.

Other and further features and objects of the invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawings and following specifications, wherein is disclosed a single exemplary embodiment of the invention, with the understanding, however, that such changes may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a bounding bed constructed according to one embodiment of my invention as it appears in the open or operative position.

FIGURE 2 is a view in perspective of the bed as it appears in the closed or inoperative position.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the bounding bed when completely folded.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the bed as it appears in the partly opened position and illustrating how the canvas and its supporting spring members act to bias the bed to either the opened or i 2 closed position, depending on the angle between the side rails of the bed.

FIGURE Sis a fragmentary view of a side rail of the bed, illustrating how the resiliency of the metal itself is employed to furnish greater springing to the bed and greater tautness to carry impact loads, and

' FIGU-RE'6 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a joint in the side rails of one side of the bed. Referring now to thedrawings:

.The bed shown here is illustrated in a rectangular form so that one dimension of-the bed is greater than the other, but other forms of beds may be employed and utilize the same principles which, are the subject matter of my invention.

In the bed ihere shown, the rails are preferably in the form ,ofa pair: ofoppositely disposed U-shaped members 10 and 1'1, preferably constructed of tubing as here illustrated and devised so that the open ends of the 'U.- shaped members abut one another to form a rectangular support consisting of side rails 12 and 13 and end rails 14 and 16. Lf

As previously set forth, the oppositely disposed U- shaped members 10 and 11 are positioned to abut each other at the open ends of. the U. The opposed ends are hinged in relation to each other and the structure of this hinged portion is of great importance in the operative function of the device.

It will be apparent that the center section of the framework is hinged in order that the two halves may be folded in upon each other to reduce the overall space occupied by the device when it is not in use. These hinged members cooperate with the resiliently mounted canvas 46 to cause a snap action as the two frame members are moved radially into the same plane.

To secure this biasing snap action, I provide a pair of downwardly, inwardly, angularly extending wings or gussets 42 which are fastened to one of the abutting frame ends. Opposite to this pair of wings and interleaved therebetween is a second single wing 41 which, in turn, is fixed to the other frame member such as 11 as shown in FIGURE 2. These two opposed wing portions are pivotally joined by a pin 43. The canvas sheet 46 is mounted inside of the frame members and held in position by continuous resilient shock cord 44 which weaves back and forth between the frame and canvas sheet. Since the canvas and shock cord are under tension, it will at once be apparent that the line of force, when the device is open, will be above the pivotal point 43 of the hinged portion described and, further, that as the two halves are folded inwardly upon each other, this canvas sheet will assume a position be low the pivot point of the pin, this being more fully shown in FIGURE 2.

In operation, this stress holds the two sections firmly in relation to each other under tension and prevents any tendency of an upward thrust moving the two sections apart.

Limit pins at 47 pass entirely through the wings 42 and, in the open position shown in FIGURE 1, act with the abutting end of the tubing and with the wings 41 to prevent opening beyond the horizontal plane of the rails.

In order to afford greater resiliency to the structure and to prevent the rails from bowing horizontally inwardly under stress, the two rails are bent so as to normally lie in the dished or outwardly bowed positions illustrated by the dotted lines in FIGURE 5, but in use, the effect of the canvas 46 and the spring 44 tends to pull the side rails to the straight full line position shown in dotted lines. It will be seen that the preloading of the side rails aids and the springing effect created makes it unnecessary to support the bed by center legs or the like. In addition, the preloading in an outwardly di- 7 rectionprevents the frame members frombeing collapsed inwardly under severe loads.

Although I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modifications thereof may be made by those skilled in the art. Such modifications may be made without departing'from'the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in theappended claim.

I claim as myinvention:

In a collapsible bounding bed, a-pair of U-shaped rail members in opposed-relation to form a generally'rec tangular frame, hinge members comprising a pair-of downwardly extending plates onthe open-end ofeach one of said U-shapedmembers, a single plate on the opposite U-shaped member adapted to inter-leave between the first two plate members, the lowermost portion of said plates on the adjacent opposed ends being pivotally joined by a pin member, a second pin member extending between the first two plate members andadapted to limit-the movement ofthe second plate relative thereto, U-shaped leg portions at the outer extremities of each U-shaped rail member,- said i'leg portions being pivotally attached thereto, upwardly extending link members, the lower portion thereof being movably attached centrally to said -U.-shaped leg membersand'the upper portion being adapted to connect to the outer end of said U-shaped rail members,

biasing means adapted to hold said-linking members in 3 connected position, a fabric, sheetpds'itioned within'the I perimeter of said rectangular frame, said sheet being interconnected thereto by aresilient shock means stretched between said rectangular frame and said sheet around said frame perimeter, said assembly being such that the leg members may be folded upwardly parallel to the U- shaped rail members, the; linkage members folded parallelto the leg members, and the U -sha pe.d rail-members folded inwardly towards, each, other to cause. th n ing bed to be collaps'ibleintoa relatively narrow rectangular assemblage, said hinges being pivoted at a distance from said. railmembers to cause said'shock means and sheet toiexert an over-center action to holdasaid. assemblage in either ,opened,ior.'-.closed position. 

